How Do I Replace a Sensor on the IQ5 Hub Security System?

To replace a sensor on the IQ5 Hub, go to Advanced Settings, enter the Installer Code, touch Installation, Devices, Security Sensors, then Delete/Replace Sensor. Select the old sensor and touch Delete, then enroll the new one with Auto Learn Sensor. Replace swaps the ID. Test it afterward.

Why Replacing a Sensor Takes More Than Editing It

The IQ5 Hub (available in AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE) identifies each sensor by its DL or Sensor ID. The Edit Sensor page lets you change every field except that ID, so a new sensor cannot simply take the old sensor's place by editing. To replace a sensor, you delete the old one and enroll the new one, or you use the Replace option to swap the ID.

Either way, the goal is the same. The new sensor needs to report to your security system with the right name and group, and the old sensor's ID should be removed from the system.

Before You Start

Have the new sensor ready and write down the old sensor's name, group, and partition, since you will want the new one to match. You need the Installer Code, which is 1111 by default, or the Dealer Code, 2222. Sensors can be deleted individually, or several at once, and the manual says this approach is useful when you need to replace a sensor all together instead of editing its programmed information.

How to Open the Delete/Replace Sensor Page

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen. This opens the Settings Tray with quick controls.

IQ5 Hub Settings Tray opened by swiping down from the top of the screen

2. Touch Settings. This opens the main Settings page.

3. Touch Advanced Settings. This prompts you to enter a code before continuing.

IQ5 Hub Advanced Settings highlighted on the Settings page

4. Enter the Installer Code. The default Installer Code is 1111. The Dealer Code, 2222, also works. The panel opens the Installer menu as soon as the code is entered.

IQ5 Hub code prompt

5. Touch Installation. This opens the Installation menu.

IQ5 Hub Installation highlighted in the Installer menu

6. Touch Devices. Devices is the first button in the Installation menu.

IQ5 Hub Installation menu with Devices

7. Touch Security Sensors. Security Sensors is the first button in the Devices menu.

IQ5 Hub Devices menu with Security Sensors

8. Touch Delete/Replace Sensor. This opens the list of enrolled sensors.

How to Delete the Old Sensor

1. Check the box next to the sensor you are replacing. The list shows each sensor's number, ID, signal source, type, name, and group, so confirm you picked the right one.

IQ5 Hub Delete/Replace Sensor page with the Delete and Replace buttons

2. Touch Delete. A confirmation popup asks if you want to delete the sensor.

3. Touch OK. Touch Cancel instead to quit without deleting anything.

How to Enroll the New Sensor

1. Go back to the Security Sensors page and touch Auto Learn Sensor. The panel starts listening for the new sensor.

2. Activate the new sensor. Open and close it or trip its tamper, or for a PowerG sensor hold its enroll button until the yellow LED flashes. The panel displays the new sensor's code.

3. Set the sensor's partition, type, group, and name, then save. Use the same name and group as the old sensor so your system keeps working the way it did.

Replacing the DL ID Instead

The manual also says you can replace a sensor's DL ID instead of deleting it. The Delete/Replace Sensor page has a Replace button next to the Delete button for this. Select the sensor you are replacing and touch Replace to swap in the new sensor's ID while keeping the sensor's existing programming. Use this when you want to keep the sensor's name and group without entering them again.

After You Replace the Sensor

Test the new sensor to confirm the panel sees it. Run the Sensor Test from the System Tests menu, or open and close the sensor and watch for its status on the Status page. Mount the new sensor in the same spot as the old one, and keep the old sensor out of range, or remove its battery, so it does not report by mistake.

When You Need to Replace a Sensor

The common reasons are a sensor that has stopped communicating, a damaged sensor, or an upgrade to a different model. If the sensor only has a weak battery, replace the battery first, since that does not require changing the sensor in the system. If the sensor was recently moved and now seems out of range, check its signal before you replace it.

Replacing a sensor on your IQ5 Hub means deleting the old one and enrolling the new one, or replacing its DL ID on the IQ5 Hub. For help with sensor replacement or other sensor settings or other configurations on your IQ5 Hub, contact the Alarm Grid support team. We are here Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time. Email us at support@alarmgrid.com, call us at 888-818-7728, or visit our website and chat with a live support agent.